Air charger



Sept. 16, 1958 /E. M. DETERS AIR CHARGER Filed Sept. 13, 1956 INVEN TOR EM) 77 MA aymm MW ATTYS.

United States Patent AIR CHARGER Elmer M. Deters, Davenport, Iowa, assignor to Red Jacket Manufacturing Co., Davenport, Iowa, a corporation of Iowa Application September 13, 1956, Serial No. 609,656

4 Claims. (Cl. 103-6) This invention relates to an air charging apparatus and more particularly to an air charging apparatus for use in the well of a water pumping system.

An important object of this invention is to provide a self-contained apparatus for introducing a measured quantity of air into the water storage tank each time the operation of the well pump is initiated.

Another object of this invention is to provide an air charging apparatus which is arranged to be mounted within the well casing at any convenient level therein above the Water in the well, and which is operative to dispense the same measured quantity of air independent ofthe level at which the air charging apparatus is mounted.

Another object of this invention is to provide an air charging apparatus which is compact and which may be easily and rapidly installed in the well pumping system.

These, together with various ancillary objects and advantages of this invention will be more readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure l is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through a well having the improved air charger mounted therein;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section through the well and air charging apparatus;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view through the Well casing taken on the plane 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view through the air snifter valve; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view through the bleeder valve.

Referring first to Fig. 1 there is shown a well casing which extends from a point above the ground downwardly into the well opening in accordance with standard practice in encased wells. In the specific form shown, the well casing includes a conventional casing tube which normally terminates in a point below the frost level in the ground. Attached to the top of the casing tube in a watertight manner is a pitless underground unit indicated generally by the numeral 11 and which customarily comprises a discharge head assembly 12 and a casing extension 13 of somewhat greater inside diameter than the casing tube, which casing extension extends to a point above the ground level.

A packer unit or thimble indicated generally by the numeral 14 is disposed within the discharge head 12 and is provided with spaced rings 15 arranged for engagement with the discharge head to form a casing seal thereacross. The discharge head 12 is formed with a laterally extending discharge opening having an outlet conduit 16 threadedly connected thereto. The packer unit 14 is formed with a downwardly facing opening 17 and a passage means 18 arranged to communicate the opening 17 with the outlet conduit 16 when the packer unit is disposed in the discharge head. A drop pipe 19 is attached to the packer unit and extends upwardly through the casing extension 13 and a conventional casing seal 21 is provided at the upper end of the casing extension to form a seal.

thereat around the drop pipe.

A riser pipe 23 is threadedly connected to the packer unit 14 in communication with the downwardly facing opening 17 and extends downwardly therefrom into the well. A pump 24, herein shown of the submersible type, and having a conventional foot valve (not shown) is connected to the lower end of the riser pipe to deliver water from the well upwardly therethrough. As is conventional in such pumping systems, the pump 24 is intermittently operated to deliver water to the storage reservoir (not shown). When the pressure in the reservoir reaches a preselected value, power supplied to the motor of the pump 24 through conductors 25 is interrupted to thereby stop operation of the pump, and when the pressure in the storage reservoir falls below a predetermined minimum, the motor of the pump 24 is again energized to thereby operate the pump and deliver water to the reservoir. v

The air charging apparatus of the present invention, indicated generally by the numeral 30, is of the type which is arranged to deliver a predetermined quantity of air to the tank each time the operation of the pump 24 is initiated. As is conventional in such air charging apparatus, the quantity of air delivered by the air charging apparatus is in excess of the amount required to maintain a preselected pneumatic cushion in the tank and suitable air release mechanism (not shown) is provided on the tank for discharging the excess air therefrom and thereby maintain the desired pneumatic cushion in the tank.

in accordance with the present invention, the air charging apparatus 30 is arranged to be mounted within the well casing 18 and is so constructed that the apparatus may be positioned at any desired level within the well casing, above the water level therein, and which is operative to deliver a preselected quantity of air to the storage tank each time the pump. operation is initiated, independent of the level at which the air charging apparatus is locatedwithin the well casing. As best shown in Fig. 2, the air charging apparatus comprises an integral cast body having a bottom wall 31, a top wall 32 and a perimetric side wall 33 extending between the top and bottom Walls and defining a chamber therebetween. The body is dimensioned to be loosely received within the well casing 10 and is preferably formed as shown in Fig. 3with a semi-cylindrical side wall which loosely conforms to the well casing 10 and a flattened portion 330 which extends longitudinally thereof, for apurpose to be described more fully hereinafter. The lower section of the riser pipe 23, hereinafter referred to as the delivery pipe 23a, is threaded: into the bottom wall 31. A reduced diameter extension 34 is formed on the top wall 32 and defines a passage 35 arranged to communicate with the outlet opening 36 in the top wall. The upper portion of the riser pipe 23', hereinafter referred to as the discharge pipe 235, is con nected by a fitting 37 to the upper end of the extension 34 in communication with the flow passage 35 therein.

As is clearly shown in Fig. 2, the cross section of the chamber defined by the air charger body is made rela-' tively large and appreciably greater than the cross sectionof the delivery and discharge conduits 23a and 231). Provision is made for introducing air into this chamber when the pump 24 is stopped and for discharging the air from this chamber through the discharge pipe 231) into. the storage tank when the pump is thereafter operated. Since the cross section of the chamber defined by the air charger is relatively large, it is apparent that the axial length of the chamber required for a preselected volume of air to be charged may be relatively short thereby providing a compact overall air charging unit.

In accordance with the present invention, an upwardly facing valve seat 38 is mounted in the discharge outlet 36 in the top wall 32 and a check valve generally indicated by the numeral 39 is arranged to cooperate with the valve seat and prevent the return flow of fluid thereby. For purposes of assembly, the passage 35 in the extension 34 is made snfiiciently large to permit the valve seat 33 to be inserted axially through the upper end of the passage. A valve guide spider 41 is disposed in the passage and retained in position therein by means of a split ring 42. The valve 39 includes a stem 43 slidably and guidably received in the spider 41 and a valve member 44 attached to the lower end of the stem and arranged to cooperate with the seat 38. A spring 45 is interposed between the valve member 34 and the spider to yieldably urge the valve member to its closed position blocking return flow through the passage 35. With this arrangement it is apparent that the valve member 44 is disposed adjacent the top wall 32 of the air charging chamber.

When the pump 24 is operated, the water discharged therefrom flows upwardly through the delivery pipe 23a, through the chamber in the air charger 30, past the check valve 39 and through passage 35 to the discharge pipe 23b. When the operation of the pump is stopped, the check valve 39 closes to maintain the fluid in the storage tank under pressure. The foot valve (not shown) on the pump 24 also closes and tends to maintain a column of water in the delivery pipe 23a and in the chamber of the air charger 30.

In order to fill the chamber in the air charger with air, when the operation of the pump is stopped, there is provided a bleeder valve indicated generally by the numeral The bleeder valve in the embodiment shown comprises 'a plug 49 which is threaded into the flattened portion 33a of the side wall 33 at a point closely adjacent the bottom wall 31. A bleeder orifice 51 is formed in the body and communicates at its inner end with the chamber of the air charger and at its outer end with a transverse passage 52 formed in the plug 49 externally of the air charger body. The passage 52 is open at opposite ends so that the water passing through the orifice 51 is discharged into the casing externally of the delivery pipe 23a and the air charger 30 and does not impinge upon the casing pipe 10. A valve member 53 is provided for limiting flow through the orifice 51, when the pump 24 is in operation, and as shown in Fig. 2, the valve member includes a resilient leaf spring affixed as by a fastener 54 to the plug and normally biased to a position opening the orifice 51. The valve 53 is arranged to close when the pressure in the air charger rises appreciably above atmospheric pressure, as occurs when the pump 24 is operating, to thereby limit the rate of flow of water through the orifice 51 under these conditions. A small groove or by-pass passage 55 is formed in the seat for the valve 53 to permit some leakage of fluid past the valve 53 when the latter is seated. When the pump stops and the check valve 39 closes, the leakage of water through the groove 53 past the closed valve 53 reduces the pressure in the air charger whereupon the bleeder valve 53 opens and permits water to drain relatively more rapidly from the chamber in the air charger.

In order to prevent the formation of a vacuum in the air charger, there is provided an air snifter valve indicated generally by the numeral 56. The air snifter valve includes a plug 57 threaded into the flattened portion 33 of the side wall, adjacent the top wall 32. A longitudinally extending air inlet passage 58 is formed in the body 57 and has an enlarged counterbore 59 provided at the inner end thereof adapted to loosely receive a disk-type valve 61. Preferably, the inlet passage 58 communicates with a downwardly opening transverse passage 58a formed in the body externally of the air charger. A stop 62, herein shown in the form of a ring pressed into the counterbore 59, is provided for preventing displacement of the valve disk 61. Suitable slots 60 are formed in the face of the ring 62 adjacent the valve disk to prevent closing of the passage therein, when the disk 61 moves away from the passage 58, to thereby permit air to enter the chamber in the air charging apparatus.

With this type of air charging device it is necessary to communicate the casing 10 with the atmosphere in order to supply air to the charging device. In the embodiment shown, the drop pipe 19 is connected to the packer unit 14 in sealed relation therewith and is arranged to provide free communication between the casing 10 and the atmosphere. When the pressure in the chamber within the air charging apparatus is above atmospheric pressure, as occurs when the pump is operating, the resilient disk 61 is moved to a position blocking flow through the passage 58. When the operation of the pump is interrupted, the

bleeder valve 43 opens and, when the pressure in the chamber in the charging apparatus is reduced below atmospheric pressure, the disk 61 opens away from the passage 58 and permits air to enter the chamber.

From the foregoing it is apparent that the check valve, the air :snifter valve, and the bleeder valve are all mounted on a single casting which forms the air charger chamber. Consequently, it is only necessary to connect the delivery pipe and the discharge pipe through opposed ends of the air charging apparatus, thereby providing simple and rapid installation of the charging device. Moreover, since the check valve is mounted on the same body as the snifter valve and bleeder valve, it is apparent that the air charging device will deliver the same quantity of air, when the pump is started, independent of the position of the air charging device in the well casing.

I claim:

1. In a well pumping system, a well casing, a pump for pumping water from the well, a delivery pipe extending upwardly in said casing from said pump, an air charging apparatus disposed in said casing comprising a hollow body defining a chamber having a cross section large as compared to said delivery pipe, said body being loosely received in said casing and having an inlet opening at the lower end thereof connected to said delivery pipe in communication therewith, said body having a hollow extension on the upper end thereof defining a flow passage, a discharge pipe threadedly connected to the upper end of said extension passage, a check value disposed in said flow passage arranged to close and prevent return flow therethrough, an air snifter valve in said body adjacent the upper end of said chamber for admitting air into said chamber, a bleeder valve in said body adjacent the lower end of said chamber arranged to open and permit water to drain from the chamber when said pump is stopped whereby to fill said chamber with air, and means for communicating said well casing with the atmosphere.

2. An air charging apparatus for use in a well pumping system comprising an elongated hollow body dimensioned to be loosely received in a well casing and having top and bottom walls and a perimetric side wall extending between said top and bottom walls and defining a chamber therein, said body having an inlet opening in said bottom wall adapted for connection to the delivery pipe from the well, said top wall having a discharge opening therein aligned with said inlet opening and having an upwardly facing valve seat disposed therearound, a hollow extension on said top wall defining a flow passage communicating with said discharge opening and adapted for connection to a discharge conduit, a check valve mounted in said extension cooperable with said valve seat on said top wall and arranged to close thereagainst to prevent return flow through said discharge conduit, an air snifter valve mounted on said side wall adjacent said top wall and having a vent passage therein communicating said. chamber with the atmosphere external to said body, a valve member for controlling the flow through said vent passage operative to close when the pressure in said chamber is above atmospheric pressure and to open when the pressure in the chamber is below atmospheric pressure to admit air into said chamber, and means in said side wall adjacent said bottom wall defining a restricted flow passage for drawing water from said chamber, said chamber having a cross-sectional area which is large as compared to said inlet and discharge passages.

3. An air charging apparatus for use in a well pumping system comprising an elongated cast .body having top and bottom walls and a perimetric side wall of generally cylindrical configuration with a flattened portion along one side thereof, said bottom wall having an inlet opening therein adapted for connection to a delivery pipe from the well, said top wall having an upwardly facing valve seat formed therein, an integral extension formed on said top wall in communication with said valve seat and defining a flow passage, means on the upper end of said extension for connecting said body to a discharge conduit, a check valve mounted in said flow passage and cooperable with said seat to prevent return flow of fluid therethrough, an air snifter valve mounted on said fiattened portion of said side wall adjacent said top wall, said snifter valve including a vent passage communicating said chamber with the atmosphere externally thereof and a valve member controlling the flow of fluid through said chamber operative to close the vent passage when the pressure in the chamber is above atmospheric pressure and to open the vent passage when the pres- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Smith Sept. 25, 1928 Crow Oct. 17, 1944 

